Dr. C Lun WangI have been working with lingual braces (lingual=tongue side) or “Invisible braces” for the past 20 years.

The main advantage of this system is that they are virtually invisible to people around you, and the main disadvantage is that they are much harder for the orthodontist to work with, and in some people, they can adversely affect their speech.

The one big technological advancement in the braces world which allowed for the experimentation of lingual braces is the development of a glue that is strong enough to hold the braces on to the surface of the teeth.

In the 1970’s, such a glue was developed, previous to that, braces were held on to teeth with bands that went around the teeth, and give the patients the classic “Rail road tracks” appearance when wearing braces.  It took another 20 years of technological and technique development for lingual braces reach reliability in treatment as traditional braces.

In the last 20 years, further improvement in technology has improved the ease of treatment, thus reducing the amount of time the patient is required to spend at the orthodontic office.  The second thing that is making rapid advancement is the use of computers in planning and making of braces treatment, improving the precision in which braces are used in individual patient.

The system I am working with is the Harmony Lingual System.  There are a few reasons that I believe make this the most ideal system at this time;.

1. Lingual (tongue side) System.   The HARMONY System attaches to the interior side of your teeth, so no one knows you are wearing braces but you.  Not everyone need to have “invisible braces”, some people need to have straighter teeth but cannot show their braces because of work, however, many people ask for an aesthetic alternative to the traditional braces for personal reasons.  Lingual braces offer the ultimate in aesthetics with all the treatment advantages of traditional braces and none of the compromises that removable aligner appliances experience.

A made-to-measure smile

2.  Computer aided treatment planning.  Your orthodontist is able to take advantage of the latest, state of the art technology in designing your smile. The process begins with a digital scan of your teeth, which is used by computer aided technology to ideally aligned your teeth on a virtual model, following your orthodontist’s treatment plan.

3.  A fully customized hardware solution.  The virtual treatment plan can then be translated into braces and wires that are robotically produced, customized for each patient and their unique situation.  This process is extremely technique and technology sensitive, and up until recently, extremely expensive to produce.

A faster treatment

Each HARMONY System is uniquely customized to achieve your perfect smile quickly and efficiently.

An improved comfort

4.  The ideal hardware design.  The HARMONY System is engineered to be small and smooth, which helps you adapt quickly and comfortably to your orthodontic treatment.  The self ligating technology that is built into the HARMONY System offers more control in the hands of your orthodontist to achieve precise tooth alignment. Self ligating technology does away with elastic O-rings, so friction in the system is reduced which leads to a more comfortable experience throughout treatment. This technology also improve clinical efficiency, reducing operator error and difficulties, thus reducing the amount of time you spend in the dentist office.

Presently, there are no other system that take advantage of all these innovations.  I therefore, have chosen to use this system for myself and my patients that require the most aesthetic, comprehensive orthodontic treatment.

Pacificwest team smiles

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